bakerstreet | You are more than you think.

It was weird, the first time the Soldier looked at the Captain and thought 'Steve. His name is Steve and I know him.' He was confused, oh so very, very confused and yet still chose not to say a word. The pain of having his memory wiped, of being reconditioned, was something he never wished to repeat yet always seemed to need. So the more proficient he became at hiding his lapses the longer he was able to forgo it and the more of his memory he began to regain.

At first it was little things, a thought here and there about a life he couldn't really understand. A skinny little twig of a teenager always wheezing and always sick. All of his thoughts were about a boy named Steve. His Captain. Steven Rogers. His own name was Bucky..at least he thought it was. His sister's name was Rebecca, Steve's mom's name was Sarah.

The more he remembered the more he realized he wasn't just what HYDRA told him. He wasn't just the Winter Soldier. He was a man, he was a son, a brother, a friend. He was important to someone, once upon a time. He suspected Steve realized something was different about him but thankfully he didn't bring it to the attention of their handlers. He was careful enough to always complete his missions, careful not to let on anything was different.

Even though his memories were coming back they were still so fractured and loosely connected that he was unable to tell what he was doing was wrong. Still, the more that came back the more he realized he needed to get away before HYDRA's handlers caught on. He never wanted to go back into Cryo again. He hated the cold, some days he thought he'd never get warm again. He knew if he ran that Steve would hunt him down. No, if he escaped he would have to take Steve with him. He just had to wait, bide his time. Eventually they would get paired up for a mission together again, just the two of them. When that happened, perhaps then it would be his chance to get them out. Until then, he just had to be patient and careful. Oh so very careful.

Things were not supposed to change.

Memories did not come to the man they address as the Winter Captain. Perhaps, in the little short moments between waking from the ice and screaming until his lungs ran out of air while his fingers clutched at the chair, there were flickers of memories. Perhaps there were flashes of remembrance. Little things. Small, fleeting glimpses of something beyond the missions and the orders and the smell of bullets.

But they never stayed. He never chased them. What was the point, when they pushed him into the chair every time they pulled him out of the cylinder of storage. When his orders were always being reset and his mind did not belong to him but to Hydra. Even the way that the other Asset looked at him did not belong to either of them, but the Assets owed all emotions and thoughts to their handlers, to the mission.

There is no defined moment where he looks at the other Asset and knows that they are not the same type of Asset.

It might have been when he was handing over a pack of ammo, and the brown eyes looked him up and down like they were surprised to see his face so far off the ground. Perhaps when he took the other Asset's hand to help him up, and their fingers lingered too long, too close, together. Perhaps when he catches the Soldier biting his lip as the Winter Captain is lead to the chair once more.

It could have been long before that, and he simply lost the memories for when it did.

But one moment, one mission, he meets the Winter Soldier's eyes, and there's a look of independence, of humanity, of b e i n g in there. The same look as the handlers. The same look at the technicians. The look that does not belong in the Winter Soldier's eyes, for the Winter Soldier is an Asset, and Assets do not having feelings like that.

They ask him, every time he returns from a mission, what there is to report.

He tells them about many things, but he does not tell them about the look in the Winter Soldier's eyes.

Rumlow is the name of their handler now, with his firm orders and his dark smiles, and the Captain sits beside the Soldier on the back bench of an unmarked van as Rumlow drives and speaks of their mission, the base they have been assigned to blow up. The Captain's fingerss hold tight on the large gun in his hands.

Bucky knows Steve knows that he remembers something. Bucky also knows Steve hasn't said a word to anyone about it. That confuses him though, the Winter Captain is notorious for following orders to a T and never leaving anything out. It was one reason he was so careful around him, trying to make it seem as though he was still the heartless asset he'd been before he'd started to remember.

Thankfully Rumlow, the one handler who spent the most time with them, hadn't noticed a damn thing. Bucky was beginning to suspect that Rumlow didn't notice anything that wasn't Steve's ass or his own on occasion. The man was disgusting and Bucky found he kind of hated him.

Emotions were tricky. As an Asset he wasn't supposed to feel anything. Hot, cold, hate, love, hunger. Feeling emotions was still new, something returning slowly with sharp fractured memories that tried to slot themselves into place but made little sense as they did so. Then a chance to escape arrives. A mission at a base they've been tasked with destroying. He's sitting beside Steve, his Captain, listening as Rumlow calls out orders. He only pays half attention, he's already got his orders from the Captain and their leaders. They'll be let out in another half mile, break in and open the gates for the other members of the team to infiltrate in order to ensure no one lives. In the chaos of the aftermath...he might be able to slip away. He's going to try to anyway, if the opportunity presents itself.

Two Assets, working together. Better than one, better than a handler and an Asset pair together. Two Assets together watch either other's backs with the same perfection they attack their missions with. Neither has to look to see where the other will be, for they both think on the same lines, follow the same pattern of what needs to be done, what next kill will be made. They have different skill sets, different points of the mission they are best suited to, but the compliments fill in for each other's gaps, and Hydra pairs them together over and over to keep the improvement going.

No point, the handlers and commanders decide, in breaking up such a perfect pair.

Even when behaviour started to deviate. When the Captain could look at the Soldier as they climbed out of the car and knew that something was going wrong inside the Soldier's brain. A malfunction. One the handlers, even Rumlow, haven't noticed. Only the Captain sees it, and he can't voice the concern. Can't make his lips form the words that turn the Soldier's malfunction over to the handlers. Something stops him. Every time.

So he slaps the ammo clip into his gun and waves the Soldier forward. "Take rear. Set watches. Ten minutes to gates."

Bucky nods and moves to comply. He's good at this even with his memories slowly coming back. The asset is part of him and he falls into his motions with startling ease, backing up his commanding officer without hesitation. They head into the compound and exactly ten minutes later the front gates are open and Steve and Bucky have aquired the mission objective. Bucky passes the case to Rumlow and then returns to his Captain to help him finish cleaning up the stragglers.

It takes them 15 minutes and everyone in the base is dead or dying. Then an explosion. That wasn't part of the plan, someone must have set something off before they died. Bucky looked around at the chaos, eyes searching frantically for Steve. He found him several yards away dazed and trying to stand up. Bucky saw his chance. None of their team was in the area, they could get out and it would take a while for them to realize they'd run. He moves to help Steve stand, heading to the door and then outside, Steve's arm over his shoulder as he supported him. He didn't count on Rumlow appearing, though he should have known better. Their handler would never leave them alone like that for long.

"Cap's down. Everyone else is dead. Is the package secure?"

"Secured, let's get the hell out of here." Rumlow says as he takes Steve's other side to help get him the truck and back to base.

[Could be either. F/m for romance, gen welcome!]

[Could be either. Post-season 7, cross-canon is loved.]

[f/f for shipping, ota for gen.]

[Weapon, most likely. Gen preferred.]

//Weird crossover character Hoenn trainer okay with you?

((More than fine with me!))

[Frisk was never one to hunt for Legendaries--they weren't one to hunt for Pokémon to capture at all, in fact. Most of their team came to them. They battle trainers and sometimes leaders, but mostly just for the money, since there's nowhere for them to return to and they're just a bit too young for non-Trainer-related employment.]

[But they still see cool things on their travels. Saw Latias once, flying across the sky, and followed for a while just to play. Heard there was a shiny Slakoth in the forest, and went out just to see if it was true instead of catching it. It's fun, collecting experiences over all kinds of Pokémon or all the badges.]

[So when they hear about something super strong that was chasing away humans near Lavaridge, instead of fleeing, or charging into battle, they carefully pick their way through the ashes from sheer curiosity. Sure, plenty of Pokémon would attack or chase away people, but the people who fled could usually remember what said Pokémon looked like.]

[Legendaries were hard to find on their own, but Legendaries that wished to remain unseen? That was something else.

He had been on his own since he ran away from the grasp of the human Giovanni. He kept thinking of what they said, of how they saw him as nothing more than a tool.

Ever since then, he refused to let any human pass without a challenge. And all that failed left without their memory intact.

It's here that Mewtwo spies another human making their way. Mewtwo silently glided through the air behind them, watching their every move.]

[They dind't notice him for a long time. Mostly just because their focus was on the ashy grass, and they enjoyed watching it puff up and spin through the air when they walk through it, almost pretty. It's a pity Hoenn never really gets snow.]

[One of Frisk's hands was kept securely on their bag, though, just in case they needed to grab a member of their team--their Manectric knows Roar, if something wild jumped out, either what they're kind of looking for or something local. Or if they needed to grab their journal and write about what they see. It's gotten quite a few pages since they started on their journey a few years ago.]

[Mewtwo was completely soundless, so their sudden turn was only to see what the lines their footsteps made in the grass--a thought entirely forgotten once they saw him floating there. Definitely not one of the local Fire-types.]

[They stood frozen, hand tightening on their bag, but then they let their gaze drop from his head. It's not the smartest move to stare a stranger Pokémon in the eyes, that can seem especially challenging.]

[Quietly:] ...hello.

[He kept note of all he observed: the bag, the journal, the way they quietely moved. Mewtwo was prepared for fear whe they finally noticed them. But he got something opposite: they looked right in his eyes.

Just like humans, some were cowards but others, others looked for a fight. His eyes narrowed, gliding silently onto the nearest tree branch.

His arm extended, psychic energy manifesting in the way he lifted several strips of wood off a neighboring tree. His telepathic voice spoke sharp, accusing.]

< Another human has come to challenge me. Just how strong do you think you are?. >

[He tosses said tree stripping to the ground.]

[Their eyes darted between him and the tree stripping, tensing, prepared to dodge if he was going to fling them in Frisk's direction--but they froze again from sheer surprise.]

--You can talk! [They never met a Pokémon that could actually talk before.]

[But they registered his words not too long after that realization, and put it aside for the moment.]

...Didn't, actually. Come to fight, I mean. Will if you want to? We're tough. [Their hand dropped from their bag to rest at their sides.] But only if you want to. Just heard there were weird...that people forgot what they did when they went here. Wanted to know who was doing it, or if it was real.

[They kept standing where they were, only tilting their head to look at him better.]

So. 'S that you?

[It's not polite to assume. That's why Absol are hated so unfairly, after all.]

[He nods as if to preen in his pride as a hyper-intelligent prowess.

He floats further down the trunk, keeping a cautious distance between them and him.]

< If I have to. >

[Humans who came here were looking to be challenged. Humans in general needed their avarice punished.]

< Yes. It's me. Did you come to capture me? >

[It didn't matter. He would erase their mind if he had to.]

[Frisk shifts on their feet, kind of wanting to get closer, mostly not wanting to get hit with a part of a tree if they do.]

Not gonna fight, then. [They sling their bag over their shoulder properly. Possibly a stupid move, but they'll just have to see, won't they?]

Just wanted to see who was doing it, actually. And why.

So. [They reach up to tap their chin.] Why?

[Not...fighting? What kind of human was this?

He holds his ground. They're far more inquisitive than most. So far they haven't reacted with fear or mistrust.]

< You chose well. >

[Pause.]

< You wouldn't understand the answer. >

[A weird one. Even to other humans, though they're good with making even the most grumpy human into a friend.]

[They risk taking a few tiny steps closer--and then they drop, neatly folding their legs and sitting in the grass. They realize a little late that they're going to get ash all over their pants--whatever, they can clean up later.]

Try me. [Frisk jabs a thumb against their own chest.] 'M smarter than I look.

[bring me all the things]

[Gen for him - yes he had a mistress, but since she betrayed him, he's less than open to such things now.]

You are more than you think.

Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier | MCU | OTA

For sacrificeyourfreedom

Re: For sacrificeyourfreedom

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Sarah Manning || Orphan Black || F/M

Naminé | Kingdom Hearts

Buffy Summers | BtVS | OTA

Root | Person of Interest || ota

Alopex | TMNT IDW | OTA

Mewtwo | Pokemon| OTA

Re: Mewtwo | Pokemon| OTA

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\o/ plz say if you want things changed or added!

thumbs up

=w=b

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Prof. James Moriarty | Sherlock/ACD EU | OTA

Armand Cardinal Richelieu | BBC Musketeers